Winter cycling

Winter road home

The landscape has been covered with snow the whole December in my sourroundings but I have been still cycling to work regularly. Though I have had to walk to work few times because the snow had not been cleaned from the roads due a heavy snowing during the night. Some people change for the winter tires with spikes but I cycle through the winter with the same hybrid bike and summer tires. As I go throug the streets of Kauniainen and Espoo regularly I have noticed how the streets of Kauniainen are maintained in better condition during the winter months. That might change in the future because Kauniainen is looking for savings as the health care system change led Kauniainen in financial trouble.

The Amazing Race Finland

I remember watching The Amazing Race as a teen ager and I believe that the TV-series has inspired me to travel and live abroad. Now about 20 years later the first Amazing Race Finland is aired. It has been entertaining to watch the Finnish show and witness the couples competing in diffrent countries. The tasks give nice insights to the local cultures and traditions. In the Finnish show the competitors have been strugling the most with the music related tasks. I would like to see transitions between the tasks being travelled more often by public transportation like local bus lines, metro or train. I feel like travelling by taxi is giving easy way out to the next destination. The competition also makes you speak to the locals in order to progress fast in the race. Though the interaction is very short as competitors want to advance fast to their next destination. As the Finnish competition is approaching to the end I feel like the physically strongest couples have been able reach the top positions.

Reading list 2023

I had a break from reading but now I have returned back to reading. Here is the list of read books in alphabetical order from past year.

Casanova, Giacomo - Autobiography 1 - 6

Coelho, Paulo - Vakooja

Druckerman, Pamela - Mademoisellesta madameksi - Tarina keski-ikäistymisestä

Ferguson, Alex - My autobiography

Järvilehto, Lauri - Mestariajattelijan työkalut

Lafon, Lola - Pieni kommunisti, joka ei koskaan hymyillyt

Luyendijk, Joris - Rahan ruhtinaat

Markiisi de Sade - Justine

Perry, Philippa - Kunpa vanhempasi olisivat lukeneet tämän kirjan (ja lapsesi kiittävät, että sinä luit)

Pulkkinen, J.P. - Täydellinen keksintö: polkupyöräesseitä

Saahko, Lotta-Sofia - Matkalaukkulapsuus

Standage, Tom - Ihmiskunnan syötävä historia

Starnone, Domenico - Kepponen

Vimma, Tuomas - Ruutukymppi

The previous list from 2020

Trip to Sweden

 

Falkenberg

Eventhough Sweden is neighbour of Finland. I have visited Sweden just few times. This time the reason was a business conference on the west coast of Sweden. A nice resort but the sauna in Swedish style without steam is not a proper sauna experience for a Finn.

Is it worth buying or renting home in Finland right now?

Last few months you have been able to see headlines how the housing market is in favour of the buyer because housing prices have lowered. Finish newssites HS, MTV and YLE. I saw an apartment on sale downstairs of my current rental building so I decided to do the math. I calculated what would be the monthly cost if I bought the apartment that is now listed for 300k EUR debt-free. The current 5 % interest rate with 30 years payback time for the 300k EUR mortgage would mean 1 576 EUR monthly down payment. Together with the fixed housing costs monthly costs would be 2250 EUR if I bought the apartment. Now I'm living in a rental apartment which is exactly the same size 55 squere meters and upstairs in the same building. My rent is 1 200 EUR so thanks to living in a rental apartment my monthly costs are 1 050 EUR below house owners monthly costs. My conclusion is that for me it doesn't make sense to buy an apartment with the current price level. Naturally numbers are not the only factors whether you decide to live in a rental apartment or not but in my case that would be basically the only difference.

Also Finnish FIRE blog Omavaraisuushaaste published a nice post about the topic, where some addtional examples from various cities in Finland are shared. 

Suitcase childhood

The author

I just finished reading a book called Matkalaukkalapsuus by Lotta-Sofia Saahko which tells stories of five people who have grown up in different cultures during their lives. I started this blog in order to write about cultural differences so when I saw a book written about cultural differences I wanted to read it right away. I enjoyed reading the book a lot and it lit up strong emotions many times.

I could relate many times even though I have lived suitcase life mostly during my adult life. Therefore I haven't had the identity battle where I am from, like the people in the book. Having solid roots in Finland has given me a different perspective to adapt to a new place. The book gave examples how moving to a new country can give a chance to reinvent yourself by being more outgoing and social like Nicholas. Or moving to a new place can lead to an isolation which happened to Karoliina. Might be surprising that a person who has Finnish parents and speaks Finnish might feel like a foreigner in Finland. Especially I like how many anecdotes with details were connected to point out cultural differences. 

There was some story lines which I was hoping to be elaborated more. For example Karoliina had eating disorder but I was wondering how did she actually got hold of it. Mother of Shuichi highlighted the importance of studies but Shuichi finally ended up choosing a career where the good grades do not have that big importance. I wonder how that battle was between mother and her son.

Even though all the stories are connected to Finland I believe that anyone who is interested in cultural differences, wants to understand better foreigners living their home country or has themself lived abroad would enjoy reading the book. After finishing this book I would be interested to read the suitcase lifestyle story of the author called Koti kulttuurien välissä.

Holiday in Kuopio

View from Tahko

It had been about 4 years since I last time visited my home city Kuopio. I had forgotten how mosquitos are bothering you there more than here in the capital area. Even though my current neighborhood is surrounded with plenty of trees and nature I don't remember being bothered by mosquitos.

Recently I discovered a football game called sub soccer which I liked a lot. You play it seated with your feet against one opponent facing you about 2 meters away. Another football variation which I like is played in about 6 diameter round panna arena. Would be fun to make and play also floorball variation of these games.

Back To Barcelona

In the beginning of May I had an opportunity to go back to my old home city Barcelona for few days. It was nostalgic to return after 5 years even though I did not have time to have a walk in my old neighborhood due my busy schedule. At least I had chance to see two old friends from Spain and catch up in Spanish. I hope to be able to make a trip to Turkey in the future and meet with some old friends over there.

Unmotivating progressive income taxation

In Finland you pay taxes progressively based on your income level. The more you earn the bigger tax percentage. Progressive taxes are considered fair but unmotivating for high earners to work extra hours. For example in health care sector high earning doctors do not need to work full time to make decent living and many doctors prefer to decrease working hours when their income gets high enough. But in the same time nurses are complaining about their low salary. For example Helsingin Sanomat published an article about a couple who both are nurses and how they are unhappy about their  income level in Helsinki. A nurse might get paid 2 500 EUR/month in gross. which means 2 000 EUR/month net salary. In Finland you can reach the top 20 % earning level with 5 000 EUR/month gross salary which means net salary 3 300 EUR/month (Iltasanomat 2021). Basically if you are a household where both are earning below average salary you're doing financially better than a household with a single top 20 % earner. Though if the top 20 % earner lives with a job seeking unemployed person the job seeking person gets social benefits which are about 500 EUR/month. In conclusion the progressive taxation keeps the income gap between the working people small.

Four seasons

Beach of Casteldefells nearby Barcelona

By living and traveling in different countries in Europe I have realized that there is not a place in Europe with perfect weather around the year. For me summer is too hot in Spain. Sometimes in Finland the winter doesn't seem to end during the spring. The winter is cold in Poland but winter activities are not available in close proximity everywhere and the fall is very dark in Finland. I like that the seasons change and you can do different activities in different seasons.

If could live in a different place each season. During the winter I would like to live somewhere with snow in order to practice winter activities like skiing, skating and playing ice hockey outside. For example high mountains in Europe and Finland would be good places to stay. During the summer I would also prefer high mountains and Northern Europe in order to avoid extreme heat. Staying by the water would be also nice during the summer months to be able to swim and play beach volley. the wind by the water also keeps the mosquitos away. Southern Europe would be nice during the spring and fall as then there is not too hot and you can enjoy the outdoor activities like playing football, hiking in nature or cycling.

City center of Helsinki is dying

Last year there has been discussion in the Finnish media that people are not anymore spending time in the center of Helsinki. For example you can find empty comenrcial space in the previously busy shopping streets of Helsinki. Businesses have also reported about the shrinking amount of customers. After the pandemia many office workers can work at home and don't have a need to go their office in the center of Helsinki.

I have lived 4 years in the capital area and I had all the time easy access to the center as I have lived just 200 meters from a train stop that takes you to the center of Helsinki in about 25 minutes. I am not going to Helsinki center every month. I can easily do necessary shopping in the big shopping mals which are closer. Especially during the rainy days and cold winter months shopping mals are much more comfortable than streets of the center. The reason for me to go to the center of Helsinki is to eat in a special restaurant or attend culture activities. Many are saying that making parking and driving in the downtown of Helsinki difficult has made people not so keen on going to the center. As I don't own a car that has not been the reason for my seldom visits to the center.

How to improve sleep

As I have gotten older I have started to value more and more quality sleep. I have also watched few self development personalities giving their tips for a good sleep. Many people seem to be proud addicts of coffee but I don't drink coffee at all and I believe that avoiding caffeine helps me to also sleep better. Here my list that I try to follow most of the days to assure a good sleep.

1. Go to sleep and wake up around same time every day

2. Wear socks at night to keep feet warm

3. Have a pillow between legs to make sleeping on the side comfortable

4. No alcoholic drinks in the evening

5. Drink only minimal amount in the evening to avoid the urge to visit toilet at night

6. Have a completely dark room. A room without windows would be ideal.

7. Do enough physical activity during the day

8. No napping during the day because it makes sleeping at night more difficult